Trump commercial ‘paid for by the US government’ running on Fox News raises eyebrows
Critics have blasted a commercial promoting President Donald Trump that was “paid for by the U.S. government.”
The intense 30-second ad, titled “America Will Never Be a Communist Country,” raised eyebrows over its content and use of the song Love Me by the artist JMSN. It comes amid the administration’s media ban and criticism of launching its own “state-run media” operation in response.
CBS Miami journalist Jim DeFede posted the commercial on X after he saw it air on Fox News Wednesday night.
“So I was just watching Fox News and this commercial played during Jesse Watters show,” he posted. “It says “Paid for by the US Government.” This is clearly a campaign ad.”
It begins with a series of grainy black-and-white images of the president, before cutting to brighter visuals of Trump at political rallies and White House events.
The ad vows to “defeat communism, socialism and Marxism,” touts Trump’s “largest tax cuts in history,” and pledges to “defend law and order and police.”
It ends with a message from UFC CEO Dana White, praising Trump as the “toughest, most resilient person that I’ve ever met.”
An image of Chinese President Xi Jinping briefly features in the ad as the leader is in the U.S. for a high-stakes summit with Trump.
Democrats and other critics said that the ad resembled propaganda.
“Took this one right out of the Florida Republican playbook,” said Nikki Fried, chair of the Florida Democrats. “This ad is pure communist propaganda. The pure collapse of Trump.”
“Hold the party that condones this responsible in November,” said Joyce Alene, a former U.S. attorney appointed by Barack Obama.
“Unmistakable signs you live under an authoritarian, fascist government,” said Fernand Amandi, a political science professor at the University of Miami.
“Just hours earlier, Trump rolled out the red carpet for a communist,” the Lincoln Project posted.
The Independent has contacted the White House for comment.
